Removal and reinstallation of sealed bearings

Wheels of Happiness

Exploding number of loopers, group rides to Bicol noted

Wheels of Happiness

It has been noted that there are increasing number of loopers:   among them Jhong Saba, Rocky Raquedan,  Bike Mike.   and bike rides to Bicol

It may be too presuming that part of this is inspiration from this GMA I witness documentation.

Kaya ba ng ordinary mortal/biker?  Kaya ba ng mga seniors.  That is a great feat for a senior.  Many seniors I met said that any senior can ride but not 150 km in a day, or multi stage ride like the one we did.   It was a first time I rode with non age group bikers.   Having three generation of riders together was a first time experience

Right now nearly two years after, the number of views is 1.2 million.

It was a great honor and privilege to have been part of this ride

Mam Kara is professor at UP Mass Com, is lector at a Kamuning church, is a triathlete.  And is now at Santiago long trek in Spain Europe with her family

Rainier now rides bus occasionally to his family which is safer and convenient.  Is a full time vlogger under Code Name Unligala

Were you paid?

Wheels of Happiness

One of the frequent questions being posed to me by kapadyaks is whether the network paid me for the #400kilometro  # padyaktobicol.  They allege that the network made a lot of money on the advertiser not to mention the million others at you tube   

I answered no.   The network made sure that I signed a waiver as to the rights to the video and probably talent fee, and accidents just in case   The pundits said that it difficult to get a  senior biker to do that for free Maybe bike for 100 km but 400 km   

I said I biked for personal glory and self satisfaction.  I reached  my goal I got some publicity.  I got free food and accommodation and transpo going home.  

That is enough  Thank  your sir Mam

Although this post noted that the researcher and the host no longer communicated with this post

although initiatives are done to dm or text.    

Application of what was learned yesterday: regreasing sealed bearing, (later removal and installation of sealed bearing at the hubs)

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines.

4.21,2021

Yesterday, I learned from Google (You Tube) on how to:

1.  Regrease sealed bearing (I thought you grease them only at the shaft;

2.  Removal and installation of sealed bearing

We usually bring the bike to the bike shop for these two services

1.  Regreasing the sealed bearing

    With a pick or a sharp pointed cutter, we pry off the rubber cover of the sealed bearing.  Then we see 

     the bearings on their cage.   We can discover that:   they are dry or rusty. 

     I was able to do this with an MTB with sealed bearing. I think the practice can save you money from 

     buying the hard to get bearings, and or prolong their lives. 

     I eliminated the funny noise from the rear hub of MTB and the wheels turn faster and smoother.

 2.   Removal of the sealed bearing

    1. Without tools

         1.  You can use a flat head screw driver to dislodge the bearing from the hub.   Be careful

               not to scratch the inside of the hub; as you would have difficulty in reinstallation.

              or use a drift if the shaft/axle using a rubber mallet.   Attach a nut on the axle shaft so as

              to destroy the threads.

       2.  Reinstallation

            Use the old bearing as a drift to reinstall the bearing.   Use the rubber mallet again to drive

            the bearing again

   2.  With tools

        1.   For novatec, there are special tools.   There is a bolt with expander that you grasp the 

              the inside of the bearing hub.  Then to remove, as in the crankset puller, you turn the upper

              portion so that the puller extracts the bearing from the hub.

       2.  Or use steel round bar with endless threads (about 14 to 18 cm)   At the end are large washers 

             that can grab the  diameter of the bearing.    You pull from the other side by turn a butterfly 

             nut or ordinary nut to pull, dislodge the bearing

      3.  Reinstallation is the reverse of removal.  

Learning plenty on MTB bike repairs during the ECQ

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines

4.09.2021

Happy 70th birthday to my wifey.

During this pandemic, and yesterday and today in particular, this post learned from YouTube the following:

1.  Removal of the piston using water syringe;

2.  Use of syringe for bleeding the hydraulic brake set;

3.  Addition of mineral oil on older hydraulic brake set  (you remove the top cover, and simply pour the mineral oil on top;

4.  Simplified bleeding of the hydraulic system;

5.  The slight difference in brake pads of dual and quad piston (only one cm in length)

6.  That the braking force is affected by the radius of the brake disk - directly proportional...

     Hence the increasing in brake torque is smore affected by the disk size (diameter and radius)

7.  How to install new olive and insert when cutting cable hose, and or changing cable hose (as in some brakes like zoom have left to the rear, and right to the front.  You have to switch the hose between the front and back.

     Some methods:

     1.  Clamp the hose and hammer the metal part into the hose; and then insert the olive and have the 

          8 mm tube clamp press fit the olive.   

     2.  Buy the tool.   The olive and the insert, and the tool would not cost more than P300.00 I will order

     2. Use a press tool.   Instead of hammering the tube insert.  

Weight reduction in MTBs

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines

4.07.2021

Making your MTBs lighter.

In the interest of safety, age, and convenience, this post has gradually shifted his attention from RB to MTB.   There are more interesting technology in MTB.

The MTB is generally seen as no place for weight reduction.  But champion MTB riders have carbon and generally ligher bikes.   As in RB, and motorracing, light is always might.

There are generally 3 high priority areas that are subject to weight reduction

1.  Fork

2.  Wheelset and tires

3.   Drive train.

FORK -  you can shift to rigid forks which tip the scales at 700 gm max for alum and 500 g for carbon fiber.   That would save you about 2.5 kg from 3 kg fork.    Or you can halve the weight to 1.7 kg by shifting to much lighter albeit more expensive fork

WHEELSET and tires.   Maybe you can lose 500 gm on lighter tires, and  kg on carbon fiber wheelset.   But that is expensive.

DRIVE TRAIN 

      1. Converting to one by -  saves you about 300 - 600 grams

     2.  Hollow chains  - about 20 to 30 grams.

If you follow all the three weight reduction can be 2.5 kg from fork, 2.  tires 500 gm and 3. one by 0.5 kg.  Thats a total of 3.5 kg.    If you have a 15 kg bike, you will end up with 11.5 kg bike.  That'light.  If you have a 11.7 kg carbon fiber bike (as what I have ordered) the final weight will be less than 10 kg.  or 8.2 kg.   x 2.2 18.04 lbs.  Just almost the weight of an rb.

/

Overhauling, mechanical (cable) disc brake.

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines

4.05.2021

The mechanical disc brake of a kapadyak failed yesterday and I was unable to repair this real quick.  I suspect:   1.  thin brake pad;   2.  loose adjustment of the fixed side;   3.  failed piston   

Hence I need to study this overhaul, so that may be able to find the defect and fix it.  

Just because my bike has hydraulic brake it does not mean I would not know anything about the mechanical disc brake.  

Which is better for long ride - road bike or MTB?

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines

3.28.2021.  

Which is better for long ride:   MTB or road bike based on 3 factors:

                                             Road bike                            Mt bike

1.   Weight                                   /                                       x

2.   Tires                                      x                                        /

                                            MTB tires safer at night and for rutted roads

3.    Riding position                    x                                       /

                                            MTB at upright comfortable position especially for endurance rides

Got a carbon fiber bike yesterday at an E commerce platform for the price of a frame

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines

3.28.2021

This post usually ignores the special events/date sale at a very popular e commerce platform.   Yesterday was its birthday. 

I wanted the bike because it is 1.  carbon fiber.   2.  3 by -  it fits my age   3.   its equipped with Shimano M5100  4  relatively low price.   An MTP of the same specs costs about  P42,000,  and locally the same model is priced at P33K at its distirbutor.

The Ecommerce lists its price at P30,000+  However my daughter who has cc discounts as a preferred customer of a Unibank was able to close the deal for only P25 k plus.   

How many bikes do you own/have in your house?

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
March 14 2018

From Quora - How many bikes do you own   (on the average 2 to 3)


That is a very timely and relevant question.  Many post events where the biker was said to be be nagligpit and worse, asked by wife to sell a or several bikes. Order ni Ms.   Kalat kasi. Kasi maraming bikes.

Kapadyak ilan nga bike meron ka o nasa bahay (Yong iba sa kaibigang bike shop nakapark ang kanilang bike.  Totoo o hindi)

Several pro bikers were interviewed at You Tube and on the average own at least 6 bikes.  Some own 11 bikes.   And I thought I was abnormal

I think most bikers at least those  I know and talked with have at least 3 bikes. True or false.  The entry level would surely have only one.

Blue feet Boobbies of Galopagos Island - the seeds of epidemic dated millions years ago (Who copied?)

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
March 12, 2018

Blue feet boobies at Galopagos Island

                                             Kahanga hanga - unang naghasik ng virus ha6

                                                  Copy right infringement by the Bike company
                                                       on the Boobies feet color?

                                                      Nanggaya tayo sa birds, nahawa?


I nearly fell of the bed laughing as  I watched the survival segment Animal Planet on TV. It featured the mating characteristics of various animals, so that they will survive and perpetuate their species.  The mayfly which has only 24 hours to lay eggs, some species of deer which breed only once a  year and more -  crabs which attract female by waving their pincers...

One those featured were the boobies of Galopagos.  Believe it or not their feet are celeste green in color and their courtship consist of the male raising its celeste green feet to the lady, and then laying down sticks and looking at the sky. The color of the feet is sexual attraction tool... And the lady boobies fall for it... I could not believe that such birds  were the predate  certain bike colors.  They were probably here million of years ago, well ahead of homo sapiens



Question:

1. Is buying that color a courtship pattern we inherited from the birds?

2. Will ladies fall for that color?  Hehe and say Yes.

Benefits of slamming a bike

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
February 12, 2018

We have often heard of slamming a bike. This applies mostly to road bike. What is slamming?
It involves tilting the seat by say 5 to 7 degrees, raising the height and lowering the bar and the stem by 5 to 10 cm by:  cutting the fork further, removing the spacer and using stems that lower the level of the bar further.

Slamming the bike can result in 5 to 30 watts of required efforts.  However, the benefits can be seen only at speeds from 30 to 40 kph.  There is no benefit for slower speed.

The benefits were seen at wind tunnel (and verified in races)   Thus in many races and tours, you see a lot of slammed bikes

Climbing the Church in the Sky at De la Cuesta in Muzon Taytay Rizal, again

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
July 15, 2017

Our staff decided to have  the PE for Saturday (physical fitness) today at Church in the Sky, at de la Cuesta, Muzon Taytay Rizal.  Since I arrived early, I tried to climb the church early.  It is always a challenging task to go to the church.  There is the last portion, only 30 meters long, that is steep. The longer portion about 400 meters is long and medium steep.   But the last 30 meters can take your breath away;   the 68 year old man, a former biker himself, says he can ride that portion up.

Well  I rode down to see other colleagues and climbed the hill again.  My gear was  32 x 28.   for the second climb.  For the first climb it was 32 x 36.

The ride this morning was probably 3 km from Angono x 2, 6 and total up and down the church was 4 km.  I sweated a lot from this climb and must have burned plenty of cholesterol, uric acid, and blood sugar

Video of SCH Antenna Ascent via Gate 2

Wheels of Happiness

I used to own where the two antennas are.  Sayang naibenta ko

Old video ng paakyat sa Eastridge by Henry VI

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
March 20, 2017

This is an old video taken by Henry VI which I am posting, for those who participated in the race yesterday.  FYI

Year end bike cleaning

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
December 31, 2016

I did not bike today because I think I over reached yesterday.  And the weather did not look ok - there was a slight shower. I decided I would clean all my MTBs.  The Mosso pedalling was rougher and tougher than the others and inspection of the bottom brackets (the outboard type) look that they have plenty of grime.

So I took apart the Mosso crank first and found out that dirt and some fibers were jamming the shaft and bearing so it could not turn freely.  I cleaned the plastic bearings, put some motor oil and then lined them with grease.  I used 1,200 grit sand paper to clean the shaft and put some grease too.  Then I brushed the chain rings with kerosene, washed with water and wiped with dry rags to remove the grime on the chain ring.   Then I washed the tires with soap and water, trying hard to make the tires all black again (mud had stuck to the sides of the tire)  wiped the rim too. Then cleaned the chain too, and afterwards put some oil on the chain. I repeated the process with SAVA carbon and SAVA titanium.   I noticed that the fitment of SAVA carbon BB was ill made.  (Well Chinese technology)

The bikes were dirty after all.  The undersides which I did not see often needed detailed and thorough cleaning.  Only the bike owner, not the boys in your house, not the maida, or your wife or children can do this cleaning for you.  Only you

Or maybe your mechanic and wait for a week

To be stronger in biking you have to develop your core muscles - strengthen your abs

Wheels of Happiness

One of the observations among cyclists is that they have large abdomen.  The riding wont remove the flabs or fats.  But perhaps, these exercises will.  They will be better looking too. And you will get stronger and faster too:

Descending on steep slopes using MTB; my weakness at last Saturdays ride at Ambuklao

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
May 18, 2016

I rode with expert downhill kings last Saturday at Ambuklao.  They had to wait 3 or 5 minutes for me, about 5 times.   I braked a lot because I did not do much of cross country biking before. I am only on my 5th month of MTB.  I had to brake a lot and tread carefully lest I crash or worse, fall into steep ravines.   I rode conservatively.

Our bike companion said that to erase the vibrations and the uneven undulations of the road:  you have to have bigger tire circumference/diameter, and you have to ride with greater speed, softer tires and suspension.  (I had tires inflated to 65 psi, and I mistakenly had set my suspension to locked. Tsk tsk mistakes!)

Also a DH rider told me:  do not wear cleats if you are doing hard core extreme downhill, esp rocky downhill.    This could cost you a broken leg or what ever if you can not uncleat at once.  Also, if you are doing a downhill near a ravine, bank or make sure you will fall, just in case  away from the cliff, or ravine.  I see.

Here is a video tip from You Tube on how to negotiate downhills:

Removing squeaks from MTB disc brakes

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
May 18, 2016

















Happy birthday to my deceased brother.  He perished about 3 years ago from colon cancer that metastasized to his lungs.  He died of difficulty of breathing.  Well he was an inveterate smoker.  He smoked even after his colostomy.

Our topic for today is the removal of squeaks from the disc brakes used in MTB.  I experienced it.  One of the bike companions last Saturday had to bear with the unpleasant noise when he brakes:

It could come from:

1.  dirt on the brake pads
2.  oil and other contaminants on the rotor
3.  uneven rotor surface.

1 and 2 could be remedied by:

1.  Cleaning the disc/rotor with rag with alcohol, or with liquid detergent (Joy)

2.  The pads could be cleaned by rubbing the discs coated with gel (Joy or Smart liquid detergent) Or rubbing the pads on sandpaper.

3.  The rotor could be resurfaced by having sandpaper on a flat surface rubbed in the direction or rotation

These should remove the squeaks on the disc brakes. I am learning a lot of things:  centering the disc brakes and cleaning the disc brakes, resurfacing the rotor

PS:   I all ready did this on both of the brakes of my Mosso MTB. It is so easy to do. Saved P50.00 for the bike shop fees.  I unscrewed the disc brakes, removed the pads, used detergent and sand paper to remove the disc grit and dirt.   For the front brake, it took me less than 20 minutes to do.

Legal Bike Cheats to help you bike faster!

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
April 17, 2016

Here are some cheat guides which are legal to help you bike faster:

1.  Aerodynamics-  clothing, bike, posture:   bend your elbows, make your body parallel to the top tube

2  Caffeine.  Caffeine can increase your speed and endurance by as much as 30%.  I hope it would not be declared as PED.  How about Viagra that increases diameter of blood vessels in lungs to cause a rider to have more RBC carry more oxygen.?

3.  Beetroot

4   Tactics  (as drafting) or lead outs

5   Equipment -  lighter is better;  light power train:  chain, crank, shoes, cleats cogs.  Light frame, Light wheels set, tires and interior.   But when you upgrade, upgrade:   your skills, lose weight and practice using the equipment to the hilt.